Pipe thread protector



March 9, 1937. B. ENGSTROMl PIPE THREAD PROTECTOR Filed June 18, 19156 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fie. 4.

IN VENTOR;

WITNEJSEJ 'ATTORNEKS.

B. ENGSTROM PIPE THREAD PROTECTOR March 9, 1937.

Filed June 1s, 195e 2 sheets-sheet g Fica. 5.

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INVENTOR.

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Patented Mar. 9, 1937:'

' UNITED: s'rn'ilss PATENT oFFlcE PIPE THREAD PROTECTOR Birger nngmm, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application June 18, 1936, Serial No. 85,937

' 13 Claims. (CL 138-96) This invention relates to a pipe thread protector and while not necessarily so limited pertains more particularly to an improvement in a protector of the type disclosed in the present inventors prior Patent No. 2,022,189, granted November An object of`the invention is -to improve a protector of this character toward the end of facilitating the assembly and removal of the thread encasing sleeve of the protector and the reuse of the protector. A

Another object is to provide for preventing the axial displacement of the sleeve in service, and the accidental displacement of the locking mechanism which connects the ends of the outer sleeve together.

These and various other objects, as well as the various other novel vfeatures and advantages of the invention, will be apparent when the followjgo ing detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of a protector constructed in accordance with the invention showing the thread encasing sleeve thereof with its locking mechanism disposed .in closed position; Fig. 2 an elevational view similar to Fig. 1 showing the sleeve and connecting mechanism in its open position; Fig. 3, a sectional view .taken on -the line IlI--IlI `of Fig. 1 showing the V' connector plate with its upper end deected outwardly for opening; Fig. fi a view similar to Fig. 2 of a modiiied form of the invention; Fig". 5 a view similar to Fig., 1 of another modication; Fig. 6 a view looking into the protector in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 an elevational view of another embodiment of the invention. .g

Referring-in detail to these drawings, and irst more particularly to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the numeral I designates a pipe on the outer surface of which there is provided a thread 2. To protect these against injury in shipment, the protector designated generally by the numeral 3 is provided which comprises essentially a split metal sleeve I. On the interior of such sleeve a covering 5 of yield'able brous composition material such as cork or rubber is glued or otherwise satisfactorily attached, being employedvto yieldably en- 450 gage the threads 2 and protect them when they sleeve l is clamped on to the end of the pipe.

The sleeve 4. as indicated, has its ends 6 and I connected by an axially adjustable locking plate 8 and co-operating pins Q 'I'hese pins are suit- 5 ably secured to the sleeve in rows spaced from the ends thereof in positions to nt within L-shaped slots II formedin the plate 8. At the outer ends of such pins 9 they are provided with heads 9a which are wider than the width of the slots II to afilx the plate to the sleeve. The vertically indi- 5 catedporticns of the slots I I a are so spaced from each other in relation to the spacing of the pins 9 that, when the shell ends are forced against each other, the plate 8 can be moved downwardly to hold the ends of the sleeve together. In order 10 to assure the sleeve ends 6 and 1 not becoming displaced axially' in relation to one another a tongue 'Ia is provided on one end of the sleeve 1 to fit a. corresponding recess 6a in the opposing sleeve end 6. 15

To attach the protector to a pipe the plate 8 is moved to its open or upper position allowing the pins to slide outwardly in the slot portions IIb. Its ends are then drawn together by any suitable means to tighten it around the threads of the pipe and align the slot portions I la with the pins 9, such alignment being assured by the engagement of the tongue 1a and recess 6a. As soon as this is done the plate 8 is adjusted to its lower position locking the ends of the sleeve together. 25 v For lifting the plate upward to release the sleeve `vvhenfit is desired to remove the protector aslot I2 is cut in the two ends 6 and 'I of the sleeve 4 and a, similar slot I3 in the plate v8. These slots are arranged out of alignment with each 150 other so that a screw-driver or like instrument 'can be.inserted in the slot I3 through the slot I2 and the plate 8 lifted by raising the outer end of the lifting tool. To prevent the plate being un-v latched accidentally in service, however, a pair 35 y of pins I4 arefastened to it above the slot I3 and these engage in a. pair of holes IS in the sleeve when the plate is in its latched position. 'I'hese of co'urse must be removed from'the holes I5 when.l the plate is unlatched and such can be accom- 40 plished by taking a screw-driver orthe like and bending the upper end of the plate-outwardly as shown in- Fig. 3. When the protector is re-used this latter operation is, oi course, reversed by taking a hammer-or some other instrument and 45 forcing thevend of the plate back against the wall of the sleeve so that the pins I4 are reengaged in the holes I5.

In place of the pins I 4 as shownl in the modiilcation of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4, a l

pair of segments or other similar means I6 may be secured to the lower edge of the sleeve l in such a position as to prevent anything striking the lower end of the plate 8a. When this is done positive locking of the plate is'fnormally unneces- `55 tapping the end of the plate at 8a with a hammer or other blunt instrument.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the invention is shown in connection with a protector in which a yielding liner I8 ls mounted on the inner face of a relatively thin metallic shell I9 which is adapted to be t as a separate unit over the end of the pipe 2I. In such a protector the inner sleeve is tted loosely over the pipe end and then clamped in place by forcing the outer sleeve 22 over it, the latter having at its outer end a shoulder 26 for limiting its movement on to the pipe. The inner sleeve to function properly is provided with a number of axially disposed slots 23 which allow it to expand so that it can be mounted easily and is used more particularly to protect the inner liner when the outer sleeve is forced on to the end of the pipe. To seal the end of the pipe it is also provided with an enclosed center if desired. An additional feature of this embodiment which is absent from the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is that the lower end of the sleeve 22 is adapted to project below the lower end of the sleeve I9'and is provided with a plurality of slots 24 at its lower edge which register substantially with the end of the sleeve I9 when the protector is assembled. The purpose of these slots is to provide a convenient means for locking the sleeve 22 against upward endwise movement relative to sleeve I9. Such objective is accomplished by simply bending in the edges of sleeve 22 below the slot 24 so that the indented portions will engage the lower end of the shell I9. To prevent any relativeinward movement the outer edge of the outer sleeve will be turned in at spaced points 26 about its periphery.

When it is desired to remove this latter form of the invention all that it is necessary to do is to open the outer ring 22 by unlatching the plate 25 as previously described, and slide the sleeve from the end of the pipe. Before again applying the protector to another pipe, however, it is'necessary to reform the indented portions 24 back` into alignment with the wall of sleeve 22.

As shown in Fig. 7 the invention may be also practiced by using a shell 3I which is adapted to t over the end of the tube to be protected and provided with an axially extending slit for allowing it toslide with ease over the tube when being applied and equipped with a slotted lock plate 32 having slots 33 in it co-operating with pins 34 for clamping it in place and releasing it. In such a protector as illustrated the tube end may be enclosed, if desired.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and mode 'of operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced ing said sleeve ends together,

horizontal legs of said slot extending in opposite directions.

2. In a pipe thread'protector, a split sleeve, an axially adjustable lock plate for releasably holding the ends of the sleeve together, a pin secured to each of said sleeve ends, an L-shaped opening in said lock plate for receiving each of said pins, and heads on said pins for securing said plate to said sleeve.

3. In a pipethread protector, a split sleeve, an axially adjustable lock plate for releasably holda pin secured to each of the sleeve ends, an L- haped opening in said lock plate for receiving each of said pins, and means for preventing axial displacement of said lock plate when disposed in a position to lock said sleeve ends together.

4. In a pipe thread protector, a split sleeve, an axially adjustable lock plate for releasably holding said sleeve-ends together, a pin secured to each of said sleeve ends, an L-shaped opening in said lock plate for receiving each of said pins, and a pin secured to the sleeve side of said lock plate Aadjacent one end thereof for engagement in an openings in said plate and sleeve for receiving a tool to effect axial adjustment of said plate.

6. In a pipe thread protector, a split sleeve, an axially adjustable lock plate for releasably holding the sleeve ends together, a pair of pins secured to said sleeve adjacent theA ends thereof, a pair of spaced L-shaped openings in said lock plate for receiving said pins, heads on said pins for securing the lock plate to the sleeve, and built up projections on the sleeve below said lock plate vfor preventing accidental adjustment of the lock plate.

7. In a pipe thread protector, a split sleeve, an axially adjustable lock plate for releasably holding the sleeve ends together, a pair of pins secured to said sleeve adjacent theends thereof, and a pair of spaced parallel slots receiving said pins, one of which at least is substantially L-shaped.

8. In a pipe thread protector, a split sleeve, an axially adjustable lock plate for releasably holding the sleeve ends together, a to said sleeve adjacent the ends thereof, a pair of spaced slots in said lock plate for receiving said pins, one of said slots at least being of L-shape, a pin secured to the sleeve side of said lock plate adjacent one end thereof, a hole in said sleeve for securing said pin when said lock plate is in a position to lock the' sleeve ends together, and overlying slots in said plate and sleeve for receiving a tool to adjust the lock plate.

9. In a pipe thread protector, a split sleeve, an axially adjustable lock plate for holding the ends of the sleeve together, a row of spaced pins secured to said sleeve adjacent each end thereof, a pair of spaced rows of slots in said lock plate for receiving said pins, the slot in at least one of said rows being of L-shape, and heads on said pins for securing said plate to said sleeve.

in said lock plate for.

pair of pins secured,

envases ing expansion slots in its side walls mounted over and encasing said line, and a split clamping ring for engaging said casing in such a manner as to force the soft liner into the threads and hold the assembly in place, said sleeve being provided with a lock platefor releasably holding its ends together, a pair of pins secured to it adjacent its ends,said pins being disposed to it in L-shaped slots insaid lock plate and provided withheads on the ends thereof for securing the lock plate to the sleeve, the sleeve also being of longer length than the liner encasing sleeve and provided therebelow with displaceable segments formed by slots for engaging the lower end of the liner sleeve to prevent accidental displacement of the clamping sleeve.

11. A protector according to claim 7 having a. co-operating tongue and recess in the ends thereof for preventing axial displacement of the sleeve ends.

12. A protector according to claim 7 in which 5 a rib is provided in the outer end of the sleeve for engaging the end of the pipe.

13. A thread protector comprising a split expanslble metallic sleeve, a tongue in one end of said sleeve disposed to engage a recess in the other, a lock plate for clamping the ends of the sleeve together and a slot and pin arranged for locking and unlocking said lock plate.

BIRGER ENGSTROM. 

